Sharpening a Cordless Hedge Trimmer Yourself

Sharpening a hedge trimmer can be a little intimidating at first. In reality, it’s not actually too difficult and won’t take long at all once you know how to do it. By the end of this article you should be well on your way to doing it yourself. If you are in need of a new trimmer check out this recently updated list of the best cordless hedge trimmers of 2018.

Things You’ll Need:

  • A hedge trimmer (Obviously)
  • Wire brush
  • Steel hand file
  • 2 rags
  • 3-in-1 Oil
  • Diamond stone
  • A flat and sturdy work surface

How to Sharpen Your Trimmer Blades

  1. Run your trimmer briefly then turn it off so that the upper and lower blades come to a stop in line. You may have to repeat this a few times to make them stop in the right spot.
  2. Remove the battery from your cordless hedge trimmer and place the tool on a flat work surface. You don’t want to accidentally pull the trigger and cut your finger so this is a crucial step to make sure you are sharpening safely.
  3. Thoroughly brush your blades with a wire brush to remove any plant debris, dirt or grime that may have built up on the blades over time. You don’t want anything coming between the file and blade when we get to sharpening.
  4. Grab your steel file and line it up with on an angle with the angle of the blades. You always want to file in the direction of the cutting edge in a downwards motion.
  5. After you stroke downwards applying even pressure, lift the file to repeat the process. Don’t let the file drag back as this will just undo the filing you just did.
  6. Don’t file off too much steel, you should only perform about 10-15 strokes on each tooth to avoid removing too much material.
  7. Repeat steps 4-6 on each tooth of your blade.
  8. Filing will likely produce a bur at the end of each tooth, which you will want to remove using a sharpening stone.
  9. When finished every single tooth, wipe down the blades with a rag.
  10. With a different, clean rag, apply some 3-in-1 oil to protect the newly exposed metal. This oil forms a protective coat preventing your blades from rusting.

And there you have it! A freshly sharpened hedge trimmer that will have you buzzing through shrubs like Edward Scissor Hands. Here is a great video to check out too to give you an idea of the filing process.

 

James Kennedy